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Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 4, No. 3, 2004

 

Contents

 

New Insights in Protein Kinase Inhibitors: Chemogenomics, Phosphoproteomics, Structural Based Approaches and the Emergence of Resistance

Executive Editor: Doriano Fabbro

 

Kinase Chemogenomics: Targeting the Human Kinome for Target Validation and Drug Discovery Pp.235-253

E. ter Haar, W.P. Walters, S. Pazhanisamy, P. Taslimi, A.C. Pierce, G. W. Bemis, F.G. Salituro and S.L. Harbeson

[Abstract]

 

Targeting FLT3 Kinase in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Progress, Perils, and Prospects Pp.255-271

Michael C. Heinrich

[Abstract]

 

Therapeutically Targeted Anticancer Agents: Inhibitors of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Pp.273-283

Carlos Garcia-Echeverria  and Doriano Fabbro

[Abstract]

 

Imatinib (STI571) Resistance in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: Molecular Basis of the Underlying Mechanisms and Potential Strategies for Treatment Pp.285-299

Sandra W. Cowan-Jacob, Valerie Guez, Gabriele Fendrich, James D. Griffin, Doriano Fabbro, Pascal Furet, Janis Liebetanz, Jurgen Mestan and Paul W. Manley

[Abstract]

 

New Lead Generation Strategies for Protein Kinase Inhibitors – Fragment Based Screening Approaches Pp.301-311

Adrian Gill

[Abstract]

 

Exploring the Phosphoproteome with Mass Spectrometry Pp.313-324

Eric C. Peters, Ansgar Brock and Scott B. Ficarro

[Abstract]

 

The Emergence of Selective 5-HT2B Antagonists Structures, Activities and Potential Therapeutic Applications Pp.325-330

G. Poissonnet, J.G. Parmentier, J.A. Boutin and S. Goldstein

[Abstract]

 

Small Molecule Antagonists of the Tachykinin NK2 Receptor Pp.331-340

Daniela Fattori, Maria Altamura  and Carlo Alberto Maggi

[Abstract]

 

Abstracts

 

[Back to top] Kinase Chemogenomics: Targeting the Human Kinome for Target Validation and Drug Discovery

E. ter Haar, W.P. Walters, S. Pazhanisamy, P. Taslimi, A.C. Pierce, G. W. Bemis, F.G. Salituro and S.L. Harbeson

 

Chemogenomics is a gene family-based approach to drug discovery and target validation. This review will summarize the application of this interdisciplinary approach to the protein kinases of the human genome with emphasis upon the synergies and efficiencies to be gained. Specific examples from the SAPK-family will be discussed.

 

[Back to top] Targeting FLT3 Kinase in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Progress, Perils, and Prospects

Michael C. Heinrich

 

Activating mutations of the FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase are the most common recurring genetic abnormality in acute myelogenous leukemia (AM). Inhibition of FLT3 kinase activity by small molecule inhibitors has been proposed as a novel therapeutic approach AML. The pre-clinical and clinical development of candidate FLT3 inhibitors will be reviewed.

 

[Back to top] Therapeutically Targeted Anticancer Agents: Inhibitors of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases

Carlos Garcia-Echeverria  and Doriano Fabbro

 

The rationale to target receptor protein tyrosine kinases (RPTKs) as an approach to cancer chemotherapy has continued to become more compelling with time. Preclinical and clinical data strongly support the involvement of specific RPTKs in the formation and progression of a subset of solid and liquid tumors. The advances in our understanding of the oncogenic activation of these receptors have been matched by the identification of new structural classes of kinase inhibitors that exhibit enormous improvements with regard to potency, specificity and efficacy. This article summarizes current knowledge of the most promising RPTK inhibitors in clinical trials or known to be in late stage preclinical development.

 

[Back to top] Imatinib (STI571) Resistance in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: Molecular Basis of the Underlying Mechanisms and Potential Strategies for Treatment

Sandra W. Cowan-Jacob, Valerie Guez, Gabriele Fendrich, James D. Griffin, Doriano Fabbro, Pascal Furet, Janis Liebetanz, Jurgen Mestan and Paul W. Manley

 

Following the paradigm set by STI571, protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors are emerging as a promising class of drugs, capable of modulating intracellular signaling and demonstrating therapeutic potential for the treatment of proliferative diseases. Although the majority of chronic phase CML patients treated with STI571 respond, some patients, especially those with more advanced disease, relapse. This article reviews the reasons for relapse and, in particular, analyses resistance resulting from Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase domain mutations at the molecular level. Arguments are based upon the structure of the STI571-Abl complex, which is compared to the crystal structures of PD173955-Abl and PD180970-Abl, which bind to the kinase differently. Strategies to potentially circumvent or overcome resistance are discussed.

 

[Back to top] New Lead Generation Strategies for Protein Kinase Inhibitors – Fragment Based Screening Approaches

Adrian Gill

 

The protein kinase superfamily represents both an enormous opportunity and a unique challenge for drug discovery. Protein kinases play central roles in the cellular economy and it is well known that a large number of diseases involve aberrant protein kinase activity. This review discusses how fragment based screening strategies, such as virtual screening, NMR and high-throughput X-ray crystallography are being employed to identify new chemo-types to produce the next generation of protein kinase inhibitors.

 

[Back to top] Exploring the Phosphoproteome with Mass Spectrometry

Eric C. Peters, Ansgar Brock and Scott B. Ficarro

 

Protein phosphorylation is a reversible post-translational modification crucial in the control of numerous regulatory pathways. Understanding the highly interconnected nature of such networks requires new broader-scale analysis techniques. This report summarizes recent advances in the use of mass spectrometry to assess phosphorylation events in ever more complex systems.

 

[Back to top] The Emergence of Selective 5-HT2B Antagonists Structures, Activities and Potential Therapeutic Applications

G. Poissonnet, J.G. Parmentier, J.A. Boutin and S. Goldstein

 

5-HT2 receptors mediate a large array of physiological and behavioral functions in humans via three distinct subtypes: 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C. While selective 5-HT2A antagonists have been known for some time, knowledge of the precise role played by the 5-HT2B receptor was hampered by the existence of solely 5-HT2B/5-HT2C mixed antagonists.

 

However, selective 5-HT2B antagonists began recently to emerge in the literature. Indeed, four structural classes belonging to the piperazine, indole, naphthylpyrimidine and tetrahydro--carboline scaffolds were reported. In this paper, we will briefly review the structural and pharmacological features of selective 5-HT2B antagonists, including patent literature of the last five years.

 

[Back to top] Small Molecule Antagonists of the Tachykinin NK2 Receptor

Daniela Fattori, Maria Altamura  and Carlo Alberto Maggi

 

The NK2 receptor (member of the tachykinin receptor family) is mainly located in the smooth muscle of the urinary, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, with limited presence in the CNS. This has raised interest in tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists for the treatment of urological disorders, asthma. This review outlines progress done after 1998 in the field of NK2 small molecule antagonists, both acting on the NK1/NK2, NK2/NK3, NK1/NK2/NK3 receptors and selective for the NK2 one.